Payase

Payase is emotional, expressive, and enthusiastic about cursed objects. He describes dangerous artifacts with genuine affection and believes his fascination with curses makes him unusually suited to handling them.

His enthusiasm contrasts with Kashimoto's calmer demeanor. Payase is more likely to react immediately to a revelation or threat, while his partner often supplies restraint and practical judgment.

He is nevertheless an experienced professional rather than an irresponsible amateur. When supernatural attackers target Seiko, Payase responds effectively and demonstrates that his eccentric collecting habit is backed by substantial combat knowledge.

Payase is a supernatural power user specializing in darkness. He can manipulate shadows and the properties associated with them, using darkness both defensively and offensively.

During the attack on Seiko's meeting, Payase transforms through his Darkness ability into a powerful avian-like combat form. His altered state greatly increases his effectiveness against supernatural opponents.

His darkness can interact with attacks in ways that go beyond ordinary shadow manipulation, allowing him to absorb or neutralize dangerous phenomena under the right conditions. He compares aspects of his ability to kodoku, the poisonous curse tradition derived from Chinese gu magic.

Payase can also coordinate his transformed power with Kashimoto's Ice Flame. Their combined attack creates a particularly powerful supernatural strike, demonstrating that the partners' abilities are designed to complement one another.

Payase enters the manga when Seiko arranges a meeting with him and Kashimoto while investigating the means of reversing the condition affecting Momo. His occupation makes him a natural source of information about dangerous occult artifacts.

The meeting is ambushed by supernatural power users associated with the mysterious effort to collect yokai abilities. Payase and Kashimoto fight beside Seiko, revealing powers far beyond what their casual introduction suggests.

After defeating their attackers, the group learns that kozuka knives connected to the stolen cursed sword Asura are being distributed to power users. Those users are being encouraged to collect supernatural abilities in exchange for the promise of having a wish granted.

Payase and Kashimoto subsequently begin investigating the conspiracy through their own network, expanding the story beyond Momo's immediate circle and establishing that organized communities of paranormal specialists exist elsewhere in the world.

Kashimoto is Payase's partner in cursed-object collecting and combat. Their contrasting personalities and complementary powers make them an established team.

Seiko Ayase is an acquaintance who trusts Payase and Kashimoto enough to consult them about dangerous supernatural matters.

Momo Ayase becomes indirectly important to Payase because Seiko's investigation into the supernatural conspiracy is connected to finding a solution to Momo's predicament.

Masamichi Vega encounters Payase and the others during the aftermath of their battle and attempts to question them about the disturbance.